Tips for Attracting Hummingbirds to your Yard

Bird enthusiasts all around the world have a special place in their hearts for hummingbirds. They are fascinating little birds that can also be rather flashy in color. It might seem relatively simple to put a feeder outside and watch them come in, but there are other ways to attract these birds to get an up close look. Here are a few tips on bringing all the hummingbirds in the area to your home.

Hummingbirds love red.

If you go to a store, just about every hummingbird feeder is going to have red on it. That is not because product designers love this color over everything else. Hummingbirds are attracted to this color, especially in North America. It is basic instinct, as in nature, they are always going after bright red blooms with a tube-like shape.

Multiple studies have shown that hummingbirds are going to investigate pretty much anything that is red. It might not match best with the outdoor decor at your home, but red is essential if you really want hummingbirds around.

Food matters, but it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Hummingbird nectar is one of the easiest types of bird food to make yourself. More and more people are doing this, as prices rise on average. All it really takes is white sugar and water. To start out with, try mixing 1/4 cup of white sugar with 1 cup of water. It is recommended to boil the nectar after making it so it will last longer and be healthier for the birds.

It might be tempting to add something else to the nectar, but it really does not add anything at all. In fact, it can be dangerous for hummingbirds to consume any type of crazy product out there. Just about everyone already has white sugar and water to use, so creating nectar at home is simple.

About the only downfall to having an easy way to create nectar is that some people will neglect basic maintenance in general. It is a rather easy thing to do, but it is certainly not a habit to get into. Sugar water can get pretty moldy if it sits around for too long. Hummingbirds are likely not going to be able to notice this, but it is actually harmful to them if they consume moldy sugar water.

Maintenance is relatively easy, but a feeder should be washed out each and every time possible. Try to put together a set schedule to replace the nectar and wash out the feeder so that there is no confusion. On average, a person should do this at the very least once a week. For those who had frequent hummingbird visitors, doing it a week is a better option.

Experiment with different locations.

Ideally, a hummingbird feeder should be placed somewhere that is easily viewed from indoors by humans. It is a great way to showcase hummingbirds throughout the day to family and friends. Since we are talking about living creatures, sometimes things don’t go as planned when attracting hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds in general are going to be able to find feeders that are out in the open. If they are tucked away in a corner, it might be difficult for them to spot at first. There can also be some other things that prevent hummingbirds from flocking to the Theater. If there are other animals nearby, there are loud noises constantly around and more, they might start looking elsewhere.

There is no truly right place to put a hummingbird feeder in a yard. When first setting something up, try new locations every week. It will give you a good idea on what attracts hummingbirds and what doesn’t. Even if it is not in the best viewing area, sometimes compromises need to be made.

Once a great location is found, stick with it.

Hummingbirds like a routine much like a lot of animals in the wild. If they are very satisfied with the feeder system setup, they will be return customers. Not only does that mean a daily basis, but even after the winter months. It makes sense to move the feeder around a little bit at first, but once the best location is found, stick with it.

Hummingbirds have a very highly developed sense of spatial memory. This essentially means that they will become very loyal to a spot that has the good food. Once you have them hooked, they are bound to come back on a consistent basis.

Have patience.

It is very exciting to purchase a feeder for hummingbirds, but that excitement can die down in a hurry if hummingbirds actually do not show up. Like any new thing, it will take some time for a feeder to be discovered. There also isn’t some online resource for one hummingbird to share the information with others. A good feeder will be discovered in due time.

Another common thing that happens at first is that they will have shorter stops at first. This is basically them sampling the nectar and the location. They are probably going to be on a little bit higher alert, which means getting close to them will make them fly away almost instantly. Be patient and careful at first, and it will pay off later.

Space is good.

Finally, birds are like a lot of animals in that, they just want space sometimes. This not only means space from humans, but space from other hummingbirds. That is why a bigger feeder can usually be beneficial for a lot of action at once.

Fighting can happen around a feeder, simply because in nature, there is a limited supply of nectar at flowers. Since they don’t know that there is a lot to go around in a feeder, they feel like it is every bird for itself.

If fighting is a continued problem, one way to fix it is to put up multiple feeders. This allows for even more space for hummingbirds who are particularly territorial about particular feeders.

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